Posted on Nov 24, 2015
CSM Command Sergeant Major
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In the military we require our Soldiers to conduct physical training, both in group format and individually, on and off duty. Many of our Soldiers choose strength training as a method to satisfy these requirements.

As with anything, Soldiers who experience progression in these areas want more, which begs the questions; What is strong enough? What cost are you willing to pay to be better, stronger, faster than your seniors, peers, and subordinates alike?
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Responses: 12
SSgt Paul Esquibel
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I think it's all based off your perception of what is "strong enough" for yourself, do you want to achieve a bodybuilder type of fitness and body or a power lifter or be strong but functional. To me being a "Big" guy I simply embraced that I'll never have a 6 pack and I'll never be cut up, so as individual you have to set what you think is acceptable for you and what you can maintain. Personally I stay strong and keep my cardio high, my goals are running my 1.5 in 12min while weighing between 255-265, to me that's manageable. For others they may want to be the biggest guy or the most P90X looking guy or girl. Within the realm of the military, I think fitness should play to mission and the individual and career field, say for example in the AF you work as a desk job, when you deploy you don't deploy to hostile zone but more supportive bases, your not required to be a functional as say a PJ or Combat Controller just pass your annual test, so your given the opportunity for more options to explore for power lifting and bodybuilding but if you have a career field like say EOD which requires stamina and functionality then perhaps Power Lifting isn't the way to go and more circuit and body weight exercising is best. In the end it's all about what you can manage and for how long, as we get older it's not that we get weaker it the wear and tear on the joints of muscles that wear down. 10 years ago I'd be shooting for 400lbs on Incline Press today, I'm happy with 225 for 12......lol.
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Cpl Shane Cunningham
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It's rough in the Marine Corps. Even if you're a tank you can still be considered fat because you weigh over and then our screwed up taping system. They want beasts while deployed and birches while in garrison
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Cpl Shane Cunningham
Cpl Shane Cunningham
10 y
*bitches
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CSM Command Sergeant Major
CSM (Join to see)
10 y
For the Army I'm 30 lbs over "authorized table weight", luckily we use bodyfat percentage to determine if you're fat, not BMI. Sitting at 14% bodyfat has it's advantages despite being 30 lbs over.
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